This document provides instructions for doing research in 3 stages - Get Ready, Get Set, and Go. The Get Ready stage involves choosing a topic, listing keywords, and searching the library catalog. The Get Set stage is constructing a search strategy using keywords, related terms, databases, and Boolean operators. The Go stage is to read sources, take notes, write a draft, and cite sources using APA format.

1. HOW TO DO RESEARCH
GET READY, SET, GO

2. GET READY
 Choose a topic
 List keywords, synonyms and concepts
 Search the library catalog
 Read background information

3. Choose a Topic
 Of interest to you  List keywords, concepts,
synonyms
 Manageable
 Formulate a question or
 Specific
hypothesis
 Brainstorm

4. Search the Library Catalog
 Find books and media:
new titles, encyclopedias and reference books
 Read for background information
 Note sources in bibliographies
Check dates for recency
Check for availability in catalog

5. Search the Catalog

6. Library Catalog Search

7. Library Catalog Result

8. Read for Background

9. Get Set: Construct a Search Strategy
 What are effective interventions for schools, parents and law
enforcement to stop youth violence and juvenile delinquency?
 Concepts/Keywords
intervention prevention school parents law enforcement violence
crime youth
 Related terms
programs strategies accommodations partnerships community
police family teens young people
 Slang or alternative forms
kids hits going down cops
 Acronyms
DEA FBI ATF ICE AAA ALA Teen

10. Use Advanced Searching Techniques
 quotations “ “ to search for multiple terms as a complete phrase
“youth violence” “law enforcement”
 truncation * to include all variant endings:
counsel* (counselor counseling)
 Parentheses ( )
Sets the order of search. Terms in parentheses are searched
first:
“school programs” AND (youth violence OR juvenile
delinquency )
If more than one set is used the one on the left is searched
first

11. Boolean Operators: AND, OR, NOT
 Combine search terms for a narrow result:
“law enforcement” AND “youth programs”
 Combine synonyms or closely related terms for a
wider search:
interventions OR partnerships
 Excludes terms from the search result:
“youth violence” NOT “juvenile delinquency”

12. Use Research Port

13. Select Databases

14. General Databases
 Academic Search Premier
 JSTOR
 Project Muse

15. Subject Related Databases
 PsycINFO
 Social Sciences Citations Index
 SocIndex with Full Text
 ProQuest Criminal Justice Periodicals
 Violence and Abuse Abstracts

16. Academic Search Premier

17. Academic Search Premier Result

18. PsycINFO

19. PsycINFO Result

20. Web of Knowledge

21. Web of Knowledge Result

22. ProQuest Criminal Justice

23. ProQuest Criminal Justice Result

24. Searching on the Internet
 Search in Google but evaluate the site before using the
information
 Information is written by anyone
 It is not authoritative or peer reviewed by experts in the field
 It is not organized and is difficult to find. Popular items come up
first.
 Is flexible with search terms and recognizes phrases or natural
languagae

25. Websites
 Preventing Juvenile Delinquency: Early Intervention and
Comprehensiveness as Critical Factors
 Effective Intervention for Serious Juvenile Offenders
 Prevention and Intervention Programs for Juvenile Offenders

26. Go
 Read sources, take notes  Document sources
(footnotes or endnotes)
 Organize ideas
 Write a bibliography
 Make an outline
 Revise first draft
 Write first draft
 Proofread final draft

27. APA CITATION FORMAT
 Citing Sources Using the APA Publication Manual
http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/citing_apa.html
 APA Style Help
http://www.apastyle.org/apa-style-help.aspx
 How to Write an Annotated Bibliography
http://www.umuc.edu/library/tutorials/bibliograph
y/bibliography-text.shtml